Tags: Human Nature

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Thomas to become Dean of Arts and Sciences at UAB

In her 27-year UGA career, Thomas has distinguished herself as an outstanding classroom teacher, graduate student mentor, and researcher. Her work on the psychology of workplace diversity has gained national attention, and she is an elected fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race. Thomas has also held several…

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UGA's Warnock wins Inaugural Regents Cup Debate

Franklin College undergraduate student Ansley Warnock ('25) was the individual debate champion at the the University System of Georgia’s (USG) Regents Cup Debate Series. The Valdosta State University (VSU) debate team won the tournament over competitors from Georgia Tech, Georgia College, UGA and the University of North Georgia. In all, nine students from six USG institutions participated in the event, hosted on Middle Georgia State University’s…

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Ericson takes Grand Prize at 13th Three-Minute Thesis competition

Hannah Ericson, a doctoral candidate in Genetics, is the Grand Prize Winner at this year’s University of Georgia Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition for her presentation titled “Catalyzing Change: What Helps Department Heads Be Successful?” A Ph.D. candidate studying biology education in the Genetics department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Hannah works with Dr. Tessa Andrews studying teaching evaluations at UGA: To promote…

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Native American Studies scholarship

INAS is accepting applications for the Ruth Pack scholarships through May 31. Preference is given to Native American students, applications are limited to INAS certificate students, Native American students and students working in Native American fields.  Courtesy of a generous gift to recruit and support Native American students at the university from UGA alumnus Chris Goeckel (BBA’84), the Institute of Native American Studies (INAS) will…

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Quinn named director of Dean Rusk Center

Congratulations to our UGA colleague and Franklin alumna Sarah Quinn who has been appointed the director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center, a nucleus for global research, education and service for the University of Georgia School of Law since 1977. Quinn, who has directed the center on an interim basis since June 2023, previously served as associate director for global practice preparation and managed the school's Global Governance…

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2024 UGA Research Awards

Congratulations ot the many Franklin College faculty members who were recognized this week at the 45th annual University of Georgia Research Awards. Our departments, programs and institutes were well-represented with a range of creative investigations across the full breadth of disciplines and professorial rank, including Early Career Scholar Award winners, all four from the Franklin College: Established by the UGA Research Foundation, these…

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Researchers unveil faster, more accurate COVID testing technique

With new cases, hospitalizations and mortality rates holding steady in many parts of the world, University of Georgia researchers have developed a faster detection technique for COVID-19.  In a new study published in Advanced Materials Interface, the UGA research team describes the rapid diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification directly from human nasopharyngeal swabs using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy…

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Gabara named inaugural Nancy Gillespie Brinning Professor in French

University of Georgia faculty member Rachel Gabara has been named the first Nancy Gillespie Brinning Professor in French. The endowed professorship, approved by UGA and the USG Board of Regents at their February meeting, becomes effective August 1, 2024. Gabara, Undergraduate Coordinator in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of Romance Languages, teaches literature and film in French, with a particular focus on nonfiction and…

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Franklin College Multidisciplinary Seed Projects Program funds six research projects

The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Multidisciplinary Seed Grant Program has funded two new tracks of collaborative research projects: Rapid Interdisciplinary Proposals (RIP) and Innovation in Interdisciplinary Instruction (I-Cubed). The seed grant program responds to the need for new paradigms that shape future research, life-long learning, public discourse, service, and dynamic entrepreneurship. $50,000 in seed funding from college…

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Focus on the Future: Computing at UGA

The rapid expansion of technological advances in computing is increasingly being mirrored in the expansion of computing at UGA. With the new School of Computing, one of the most in-demand undergraduate majors, and multiple clusters of faculty hires around artificial intelligence, data science and cybersecurity, computing on campus is already well into its next era. Our colleagues in Research Communications unpack the story: Computer science isn’…

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Dawg Day of Giving 2024

Dean of the Franklin College Anna Stenport and Hairy Dawg invite YOU to help support our students and programs on Dawg Day of Giving 2024.   Give TODAY!

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Faculty Q & A: Gregory Robinson

Gregory Robinson, the Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, leads research efforts that have made enormous impact in chemistry and discoveries in sustainable energy, from exploring metalloaromaticity to the first example of a boron-boron double bond in a molecule. A chemistry department faculty member since 1995, Robinson has received many of the most prestigious awards for scientific ac hievement, including the Southern Chemist Award…

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Kudos, March 2024

Excellence in Teaching Awards, Meigs Professorships and our newest Regents' Entrepreneur lead the March kudos. Congratulations to our colleagues, alumni and students on these outstanding accomplishments:   The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved Valentine Nzengung as Regents’ Entrepreneur. Nzengung, professor of environmental geochemistry in the department of geology and founder of MuniRem Environmental, LLC, is the third…

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Noted and Quoted, March 2024

Our March survey of media mentions and appearances by Franklin College faculty begins with the local coverage of professor and head of the department of history Stephen Mihm's journey to the South Pacific on a mission to search the ocean depths for soldiers who disappeared in a fierce battle of World War II. Mihm chronicled the search in the March issue of Smithsonian, in an article which also highlights the work of Franklin alumnus Dr. Patrick…

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Thompson to lead the Georgia Museum of Natural History

University of Georgia professor Victor Thompson has been appointed the Executive Director of the Georgia Museum of Natural History (GMNH), effective August 1, 2024. Thompson is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of anthropology and the current Director of the Laboratory of Archaeology.  The home of more than a dozen distinct collections, facilitating research for professionals,…

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New musical showcases work by arts scholar, alumni group support

This week, UGA Theatre presents “First Semester: A Musical,” an original work written by undergraduate and Cora Nunnally Miller Arts Scholar Wyn Alyse Thomas, directed by Thomas and Sydney Rainwater and supported by the New Georgia Group fund. “First Semester: A Musical” represents a new addition to UGA Theatre’s seasonal offerings—a slot dedicated to original student-written, student-produced work supported by the New Georgia Group fund. The…

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Anderson receives 2024 Russell Award

Jill Anderson, associate professor in the department of genetics and the Odum School of Ecology, is one of three University of Georgia faculty members to receive the 2024 Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the university’s highest early career teaching honor for outstanding and innovative instruction: From creating experiments and graphing predictions to interpreting results and designing follow-up studies, Anderson’s…

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Franklin College to enhance 2023 Presidential Seed Grants

The newest round of 10 Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program awards chosen from 70 proposals reflect a commitment of $1 million from UGA President Jere W. Morehead. In a follow-up to the success of UGA research teams to pursue work initiated through the seed grant program, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences announced additional support for the Presidential Seed Grant projects. Franklin College Dean Anna Stenport announced…

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Franklin College alumna to deliver 2024 commencement address

Four-time Olympian and 10-time Olympic medalist in swimming Allison Schmitt will deliver the spring undergraduate Commencement address at the University of Georgia on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Sanford Stadium. Schmitt, who received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from UGA in 1998, was elected captain by her teammates at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. She is still the current American record holder in the 200 meter freestyle, which…

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UGA establishes W. Todd Groce Fellowship in History

The University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of history announced the creation of the W. Todd Groce Fellowship, honoring the historian and longtime CEO and president of the Georgia Historical Society in Savannah. The new fellowship was made possible by a generous gift by longtime UGA donors John F. and Marilyn McMullan and will enable a single student to spend the summer in Savannah, getting hands-on experience…

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Active learning model changing the culture

The Chronicle of Higher Education spotlights innovative efforts at UGA in active learning that are setting a new course for student achievement on campus – and beyond.  Many of our colleagues are leading engagement in the scholarship and practice of improving student outcomes, from the Active Learning Summer Institute, to the school of art and the math department: Getting students in a photography course to exercise their creativity is one…

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Music Therapy Alumna honored by St. Jude Children's Hospital

The Hodgson School of Music shares great news from an important corner of the music world – the clinical practice of using music to aid in healing. The current issue of Sforzando reports: Elizabeth Lee Digiovanni, Hugh Hodgson School of Music alumna, received the Friend of Nursing Award from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Friday, November 3, 2023. This award is described by St. Jude as going to someone who demonstrates excellence in…

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Campus-wide research effort to deploy GeoAI

Faculty from the department of geography, School of Computing, and the College of Engineering are collaborating on a group of DoD-funded projects focused on optimizing geospatial artificial intelligence. The capability to deploy GeoAI for real-time usage will enable first-responders to react rapidly to changes in terrain around the world resulting from climate change and natural disasters. The campus-wide research effort, which includes faculty…

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UGA welcomes Nobel laureate Eric Betzig

2014 Nobel laureate in Chemistry Eric Betzig will visit the University of Georgia on March 25, 2024. Betzig, Professor of Molecular and Cell biology and Eugene D. Commins Presidential Chair in Experimental Physics at the University of California, Berkeley, will give two public presentations hosted by departments in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Betzig, also a Senior Fellow at the Janelia Research Campus, and an Investigator of the…

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Climate change threatens archaeological heritage of coastal Georgia

A new study published February 28, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Matthew D. Howland of Wichita State University and Victor D. Thompson of the University of Georgia reports that thousands of historic and archaeological sites in Georgia are at risk from tropical storm surges, a number that will increase with climate change. Due to rising sea level and increasingly severe tropical storms, human-caused climate change poses a…
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